Detective Richard Castle: Isotope Chaos
by knwho
Summary: An Energy Dept. employee is murdered. Castle & company are on the case. ON-HIATUS, T.
1. Isotope 244

_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters nor make any profit from this. This is simply a mental exercise for me. So, cut me some slack._

**CH. 1 – Isotope 244**

**A/N: This was formerly chapters 5-8 of "Detective Rick Castle" Now it is its own story, however still connected to and follows the "DRC" timeline. **

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><p>It had been a week and Kate Beckett was starting the warm up to thought of playboy-writer turned detective, Richard Castle being one of them. After they had wrapped up the Nathan case in less then 24 hours – an NYPD record, Beckett finally decided that Castle wasn't going to be a liability. In actuality, even when he was still a "consultant" he was a major asset.<p>

She sat at her desk waiting for Detective Castle to show, those two words still sounded odd to her. Minutes later, the elevator dinged and Rick Castle stepped out.

"Good morning, Beckett," Castle said in his usual upbeat tone.

"Morning, Castle," Beckett replied without glancing up at him.

"Is that all I get after I trudge here carrying two hot and extremely refreshing Vanilla Soy Mocha Expressos?" Beckett perks up.

"Damn him, he knows my weakness is coffee and he had to go and get my favorite too." She thought.

Sighing, she looks at him for the first time, "All right, Castle thanks." She says slightly defeated as Castle hands her the her cup.

He flashes a smile then proceeds to his desk.

About a hour in both detectives were doing paperwork, check that, Beckett was doing paperwork, Castle was shooting paper baskets.

"All right, from deep!" Castle exclaims. Beckett looks up and jut rolls her eyes. "Same old Rick," she thought.

A few minutes later, Castle's phone rings, "Castle. Yeah? You're sure? All right we're on it."

Beckett looks up a third time, "What's up?"

"That was Esposito, says we've got a live one, figuratively, in Central Park. You coming?"

"Only if I drive." Beckett declares.

"Why do you always drive?" Castle complains.

They argue all the way to the elevator, in the car and to the crime scene. Beckett in the driver seat, of course.

"What've we got?" Beckett asks as Castle looks around upon arrival.

"Asian male, mid-30s, shot three times in the back with a .38." Finishes M.E. Lanie Parish.

The body, face-down and in jogging suit.

"Time of death?" asks Castle.

"Based on lividity I'd say between 4 and 6 A.M."

"So, the question becomes why would someone shot a jogger three times?" Inquires Beckett.

"I think the better question would be who'd be dumb enough to jog in Central Park at 4 in the morning," corrects Castle.

Meanwhile, Lanie walks over to Beckett. "So are you full-adjusted yet?"

Sighing, Kate looks at Castle who now talking to some uniforms, "Yeah, I guess I mean he was basically a cop before."

"Girl, I know that look, you are so in to him." said Lanie.

Beckett scoffs at the idea. "No, I'm not," defended Beckett.

"Hmm-hmm, denying it just makes more true," says Lanie walking away.

Beckett ponders her friend's words for a few seconds before Castle runs over.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Huh, yea," Beckett lied.

"Esposito found something." Esposito looks to their direction and signals them over.


	2. The FBI Enter

**CH. 2 – The FBI Enter**

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><p>"What'd you find Esposito?" Beckett asks. As she and Castle walk over to Esposito standing 20 feet from a trash can.<p>

"Isotope 244." Answers Esposito.

"Isotope 244? What's that?" questions Castle.

"I don't know, but according to those guys," Esposito points over to a white window-less van where two people were putting on Haz-Mat suits, "it's a highly sensitive nuclear atom, capable of being enriched into a nuclear weapon with 30 times the strength of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs." Esposito finishes.

"I was never good in Chemistry." quips Castle.

"But I bet you excelled in detention and English." Beckett comments.

Castle glares at her playfully.

"Okay, so what does that have to do with our vic?" Beckett asks getting back on subject.

"See that," Esposito points to a trail of blood leading to the trash can starting from the victim as both Beckett and Castle look.

"I saw that trail and followed it to the trash can, where I saw that thing in it, called Haz-Mat and they said not to touch it or to come within 15 feet of it."

"Okay, get a sample of the blood and send it to CSU." orders Beckett.

"You got it," replies Esposito as he walks away, at which point, a man in a black suit walks us to Kate.

"Detective Beckett?" the man asks.

"Yes." "I'm Agent Marshall Stewart, FBI Energy Specialist, I'm taking over this case." Beckett was not at all surprised, whenever the FBI is involved the 12th loses jurisdiction.

However, Beckett was on the fence on just handing over this one, because on the one hand this was a matter of national security, yet on the other it is still a homicide.

"Agent Stewart, this is still a homicide and I will continue to proceed as normal, you may conduct your investigation on the nuclear atom as long as it does not impede our progress." Beckett states in her most official tone.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that, this now a federal investigation, the death of your jogger, while tragic will have to be put on the back-burner." Responds Agent Stewart.

Castle, silently looking on and listening finally speaks up, "Guys, guys were all on the same team here, how about we share?"

Both Beckett and Stewart glared at him. "And just who are you?" Questions Stewart. "

Detective Castle." "Castle? As in Richard Castle, the author?" Castle nods.

Stewart looks at Beckett, "Is this a publicity stunt?" Stewart questions more light-hearted.

"I wish." Beckett replies.

Castle, feeling offended interjects, "Hey, standing right here."

"In either case, the FBI overrules local jurisdiction." Stewart states, then walks away over to the containment carrier that holds Isotope 244, the Haz-Mat crew fished out of the trash.

Castle looking in Stewart's direction, "You know I'm starting to not like that guy."

"Now you know my pain." quips Beckett, as the two walk back towards Lanie who is just about to leave.

"I should be able to find more clues after I get him on the table."

"Okay, we'll continue to search for his ID." Beckett says as the van pulls away.

Minutes later, Ryan runs up, out of breath. "Hey... guys, I... found... his... ID." Ryan said out catching his breath.

"So where was it?" Castle asked.

"Central Park East." Ryan answered still recovering.

"Okay..." said Castle with a finger on his chin, "why are you out of breath?"

"I... ran."

"Okay..." Castle says intrigued for an explanation, "why?"

"I wanted to get the ID here as fast as possible." Ryan explains.

"And you didn't think about jumping into your car?" Castle says with a slight smug smile.

"Oh." Ryan says with sudden realization.

Beckett hearing the exchange jumps in, "So, who's our vic?"

"Ah," Ryan pull out the wallet, "the name's David Cho of 66th Street."

"Whoa, Upper East money," comments Castle.

"All right, was there money in the wallet?" Beckett asks.

"Yep, $700." Ryan answers.

"Why would a jogger carry that much cash on an early morning jog." Beckett wonders.

"Maybe, this wasn't an early morning jog, maybe he was meeting someone." Castle reasons.

"Maybe. Ryan, you and Esposito head over the guy's apartment see what you can dig up, Castle and I will see what Lanie has, if anything, back at the office." Beckett orders.

"You got it." Ryan says as he walks away over to his partner.


	3. Posh Palace

**CH. 3 – Posh Palace**

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><p>"Bro, you just had to keep the car parked on the east end?" Esposito complains to his partner.<p>

"Like I've said a dozen times already, 'I'm sorry', can we please drop it?" Ryan pleads.

"All right bro, but you owe me a donut on the way back."

"Sure." Ryan agrees, as they finally reach the cruiser.

They head to 66th Street, and look up, "Wonder how much one of these places cost?" Esposito wonders.

"Way to much for my blood, that's for sure." Ryan comments. They walk up to the doorman, "Yeah, could you open up Apartment 335, please?" asks Ryan. "I'm sorry, but only the resident or other authorized personnel can gain access to that apartment.

"How's this for authorized personnel? We're NYPD." Esposito flashes his badge in the doorman's face. The doorman looking flustered, responses in accordance, "Yes, of course, let me get you the keys. Please wait here." The doorman heads inside in hurry.

"Was that necessary?" asks Ryan. Esposito looks at his partner, gives a gratifying sniff and says, "Best part of the job." "Right..." agrees Ryan slowly.

The doorman returns, minutes later with the keys, "Go right on up, gentlemen."

They thank him and walk in to wait for the elevator.

Inside the elevator, Esposito had to ask again, "So, what was your real reason for forgetting the car?"

Ryan clearly frustrated now, says very gingerly, "I was on the phone," he paused, "with Jenny."

Esposito could not help but smile, "Aha, Honeymilk strikes again!" Ryan was about say something but was interrupted by the elevator ding.

They walk to 335, open the door and were absolutely amazed at what they saw. This was no ordinary up-scale apartment, this was a palace. Victorian fireplace, marble columns, cherry hardwood floors, a Monet hanging over a replica of Donatello's David in the living room, a Manet in the master bath, and the piece-de-resistance, a solid gold statue of Rodin's The Thinker in the study.

"Okay, I just have to say it, dude's is filthy rich," says Ryan.

"Amen to that, brother," says Esposito still looking around.

"All right enough window shopping. Let's start in the study," says Esposito.

"You got it," Ryan replies.

Sifting through papers on Cho's desk Esposito comes across a datebook, he turns to today's date, then calls over Ryan.

"Yo, check this out." Ryan runs over to Esposito.

"What?"

"Look at today's date." Ryan looks at the book, and reads the note, "'Meet w/ Fern Cent. Park W.'"

"Is Fern a girl?" Ryan asks.

"If it is a she, she must be smoking for this guy to go to Central Park in the early morning."

**(***)**

Meanwhile, at the morgue, "What you got, Lanie?" asked Beckett.

"Well prelim test results show that the cause of death was not the three .38 bullets I pulled out of Mr. Cho," she leads them away from the body on the slab and over to the evidence table, "it turns out our friend here, had ingested a dangerous number of hydrocodone/paracetamol, alcohol and an trace amounts of an unknown substance."

"Wait," Beckett said trying to recall her chemistry, "you're telling me this guy died of a Vicodin and alcohol overdose?"

"Looks that way."

"What about the unknown substance?" Castle interjects.

"Well it is nothing in the system, so I'm going have to do this old school," Lanie said.

"What bust out textbooks and start reading?" Castle says to lighten the mood.

"No, send a sample to the local DEA. I should have the results in a week."

"Great," Beckett says walking back over to the body, "anything else you can tell us?"

"Yeah, he put up a hell of a fight, see the bruising on his left abdomen, the scratch marks on his neck, probably made by a woman or someone with extreme sharp nails; and the scraped knuckles on his right hand. Whoever he was fighting gave him a run for his money."

"Can you tell the possible body type, then?" Castle asks.

"If I had to guess, I'd say it was woman between 5'5" and 5'7" with a pretty nasty right hook."

"Okay, that settles it, we looking for a above average height female with boxing experience," Castle says straight-faced.

Beckett rolled her eyes and Castle earned a small laugh from Lanie.

"Well keep us posted, while I take Mr. Funny Cop outside before he decides to use a skull as a ventriloquist dummy," Beckett says as she drags Castle out by the wrist.

"You got it," was the last thing Lanie said that Beckett heard.


	4. Energy Earner

**CH. 4 – Energy Earner**

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><p>Back at the 12th, Beckett and Castle were hovering over the Murder Board when Ryan Esposito came in.<p>

Beckett looked at them, "Anything?"

"Yeah," Esposito answers, "the dude is filthy rich," This catches Castle's attention.

"How rich?"

"Like, 'I-can-afford-solid-gold-statues' rich, Esposito explains.

Beckett interjects, "Anyways... anything we can use?"

"Yeah," Ryan chimes in, "he is also crazy smart, he has a B.S in Engineering from MIT, a Master's in Chemistry and a Ph.D in Applied Physics from CalTech."

"So?" Beckett questions.

"Well, after seeing Mr. Cho's impressive credentials I decide to find out his last place of employment, and guess where?" Ryan quizzes.

"I'm gonna guess CIA." Castle answers hopefully.

"Close, the Energy Department." Ryan reveals.

"Aww, so close," Castle says with exasperation, "One of these days I'm gonna get it right."

That earned him a trademark Beckett eye roll.

After writing the information Esposito and Ryan divulged on the Board, the four stare at it trying to make sense of it all.

"Okay, so we have a mid-30s, Energy Dept. employee, found dead in Central Park with $700 in his pocket and three gunshots in the back." Beckett finishes.

"Even I can't come up with something this crazy." Castle reasons.

"Yeah, it does sound far-fetched but it's there." Beckett comments.

"Not to mention we found that atom in the trash with his blood trail." Ryan adds.

Castle suddenly looks up. "I think I know why he was killed." The other three look at him,

"How?" Esposito asks.

"Well look at the evidence, we have an Energy Department employee shot and we find a highly volatile chemical element in the trash with a trail of his blood, whatever he was doing in the park has do with that atom, I say, find his connection between the atom and we find the killer." Castle finishes.

Beckett is impressed, which isn't an easy task achieve, especially with Castle.

"Esposito, check Mr. Cho's last known projects and any associates. Ryan, check Cho's financials to see if any red flags show and also research more about this Isotope 244. I wanna know about it before we start digging deeper." "

You got it," was all she got and Esposito and Ryan were off.

"Hey, what about me?" Castle says giddily.

"You," Beckett turns to him, "see if you can keep the FBI from meddling. I don't need Stewart setting up base camp here."

"Got it."

**(***)**

The four regroup, the next morning, "So, what do you have? Esposito?"

"Well, Mr. David Cho or more accurately the former Mr. Daek Lee Moon, a North Korean ex-patriot who gained U.S. citizenship in 2000 had been working at Brookhaven National Laboratory since 2004. Since 2006, he and group of scientists have been working on a "Project: Fusion" using Isotope 244."

"So Cho, had access to Isotope 244?" Beckett questioned.

Esposito nodded, "Not only that, he was the lead scientist."

"How many people worked on the project?" Castle inquired.

"Seven including Cho."

"And what is the purpose of Project: Fusion?" Beckett continues her questioning.

"Not much is released, but according to a early press release, Cho was quoted as saying, "'... if successful Project: Fusion will eliminate the use of hydro-electric and any other energy generating facilities and create enough electricity for every home, office, city and state for the next 2000 years and will eliminate our dependence on foreign oil in 2016. It is my hope that by that time the U.S will run entirely on electricity.'" Esposito finishes reading.

"Well, that kind of technology is definitely motive to kill over." Ryan joins the conversation.

"Sure is, what happens to Project Fusion now that Cho is dead?" Castle asks.

"Nothing," Esposito explains, "it just moves on down to the next in command."

"How much money was the project receiving?" Castle asks. "$120 million and an additional $80 million in private donors."

"Who was the largest?" Beckett added.

"Let's see," Esposito looking at his notes, "largest donor was Hilltop Energy with $25 million."

"Hilltop Energy," Castle begins, "isn't that headed by Michael Kerr, heir to Venture Corp.?"

"Yeah, why?" asks Beckett intrigued.

"Well, Kerr is set to inherit Venture Corp. as soon as his father agrees to it, and at last check Venture is a massive raw materials empire, they're in everything: oil, natural gas, coal, diamonds, everything but electricity. If Kerr takes over he'll likely merge Hilltop into Venture thereby making the company and him impossible to touch." Castle finishes explaining.

"And if, Hilltop gains access to Project: Fusion they can increase their market share." Beckett finishes.

"I never cared for economics." Ryan whispers to Esposito.

"Me neither." Esposito agrees. "Esposito, get the next in line of Project Fusion and Michael Kerr in here for questioning." Beckett orders. "Done."

"Ryan?" Kate looks at Esposito's partner.

"Cho's financials are extensive, as an employee of Brookhaven, he earns a yearly salary of $120,000, plus a $25,000 research stipend. But that doesn't explain his extravagant apartment - that is until you look at the $20,000/a month deposits made by Hilltop Energy and the $12,000/a month deposits made by Meteor Electric. However the Meteor deposits, stopped two months ago."

"So we have a scientist being paid more than half a million dollars, shot in Central Park early in the morning? It doesn't make sense." Beckett reasons.

"There's more," Ryan continues, "Three weeks ago there was a charge on his Visa for $500 worth of room service for a 2 day stay at the Plaza Hotel with Michael Kerr and Paul Whit of Meteor Electric splitting his actual stay."

"All right, Ryan go with Esposito and bring Paul Whit too, but at this point it looks like Kerr is our main suspect." Beckett says. "Got it."

**(***)**

They break and go their separate ways, Ryan and Esposito, out to gather suspects and Beckett and Castle, to the the medical examiner's to see Lanie.

At Lanie's office, if one can call a morgue an office, Beckett and Castle walk in on Lanie in the middle of Cho's examination. "Perfect timing." says Lanie.

"Why, what do you have?" Beckett says walking toward the body.

"I've identified the unknown substance." replies Lanie.

"I thought you said it would take you a week?" Castle queries.

"I thought so too, that was until Agent Stewart came in." Lanie said.

That got Beckett's attention. "What? Stewart was here?" "Yeah, you just missed him by 20 minutes."

Beckett refocuses, "So, what was the unknown substance?" "Isotope 244" answered Lanie casually.

"Wait, so you're saying the vic ingested a radioactive atom?" Beckett asks astonished. Lanie nodded.

"So, are you sure that it's safe to be in this room right now?" Castle worries.

"Don't worry, he's not radioactive." Lanie reassures. Beckett rolls her eyes at the two and smiles.

"So what was the exactly cause of death?" Beckett asks.


End file.
